United We Stand
by Lady Elizabeth of New York
Summary: AU. Neville is the boy who lived. Harry gets to live with his parents. Neville is trying to survive. Harry's relationship with his father is tense to say the least. Together, with their four friends, they just might be the ones to defeat Voldemort.
1. Chapter 1

"You must be mistaken," Augusta said rigidly as she sipped her tea. She was gripping the cup's handle so tightly, Minerva was sure it would break. "I assure you that my son grandson, and daughter in law are alive and well."

Minerva half wished that she had let Albus break the news but Minerva had insisted on telling her best friend about this dreadful event.

"Augusta, my dear friend. I'm so sorry," Minerva told her sadly. "But it's true. Frank and Alice were killed last night by You-Know-Who."

"They had a secret keeper and she would not have betrayed them. Voldemort couldn't have gotten to them! They're alive!" Augusta exclaimed, snapping the handle of the cup into two pieces. Then she began sobbing. Minerva quickly waved her wand and the cup was repaired.

"Augusta, I wish it wasn't true but it is. Frank and Alice are gone," Minerva said softly, hugging the still crying woman. Suddenly Augusta stopped and looked up at Minerva, her eyes narrowed.

"Why did you only say Frank and Alice? What about Neville?" she asked.

"Neville survived. We don't know how but You-Know-Who's curse bounced off Neville and onto him," Minerva answered.

"Where is he? Why haven't you brought my grandson to me?" Augusta questioned harshly.

"I asked Albus to wait until I told you," Minerva answered. "He's currently at Hogwarts being looked at by Madam Pomfrey." Instead of looking happy about this, Augusta frowned suspiciously.

"There's something you're not telling me," Augusta remarked. "How did Neville survive?" Minerva sighed. Albus had asked her not tell anyone but Minerva could never lie to Augusta. Augusta was worse than her when it came to lairs.

"We don't know," Minerva answered. "But Albus said that it has something to do with Frank's sacrifice."

"I want to see my grandson now," Augusta told her sternly.

"Of course, I'll bring him here right away," Minerva said, getting up and walking towards the fireplace.

"Minerva," Augusta began quietly. Minerva stopped and turned to face her. "Thank you for coming." Minerva smiled brightly at her.

"You're welcome, old friend," Minerva said softly.

* * *

"I can't believe the Longbottoms are dead," Lily said with a sigh as she rocked Harry back and forth. "I just can't imagine what Augusta must be feeling. Her only son is dead. At least she'll have Neville, I suppose." She looked at her husband expectantly. James was staring into space, lost in thought.

"You know something's been bugging me ever since Peter was attacked," James remarked, not even hearing what Lily said.

"What's that, James?" Lily asked, knowing this must be serious if James was bringing up Peter. Ever since they found out Peter was a traitor, Sirius had outlawed his name. Something James agreed with.

"We didn't know about Peter's betrayal until after he was attacked but neither did the Death Eaters. Every Death Eater I've interrogated had no idea," James mused. "So whoever did this to him would have had to have known whose side he was on."

"James, don't overthink it. The important thing is it's over. We don't have to worry about You-Know-Who coming after our son anymore," Lily told him happily, getting up. James wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed his son's head.

"I know you're right," James said softly. "Why don't we head over to see how the boy who lived is doing?" James suggested.

* * *

Severus kept looking behind him to make sure he wasn't followed. He arrived at a white house. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door. No one answered. Severus opened the door and walked in, carefully avoiding the creaky floorboard.

A black haired woman sat in a black armchair, facing the fire instead of Severus.

"Why are you here, Severus?" she asked softly.

"They're going to be coming after you," Severus replied. "I was worried about you." The woman laughed.

"You were not worried about me," she scoffed. "Tell me the truth, Severus. Why are you really here?"

"Shouldn't you know? After all you have the sight," Severus reminded her. The woman didn't answer. "Tell me about Lily. Tell me that she'll live."

"I see Lily standing in a field. She is cradling two flowers. One flower is black and other is red. Oh my, there's a dark haired man coming up behind her. His hands are stained with blood. He touches one of her flowers. The flower screams and loses it's petals," the woman cried. Severus kneeled down and turned the woman's face to look at him.

"Who is the man?" Severus asked, his eyes wide.

"Something tells me, Severus, that you already know. Now you better go, Alastor is on his way," the woman told him softly.

"When will you be back, Ruth?" Severus asked. "I need more answers."

"I will be free in twelve years," Ruth replied. Severus opened his mouth to protest. "They're almost here! Go through the back door!" Severus started to leave when Ruth called him back. "Take the position, Dumbledore offered you. You're going to need to keep an eye on those six kids."

Severus ran out of the living room just as the front door flew open and three aurors walked in.

"Miss Ruth Knight, you are under arrest," Moody thundered. Ruth stood up.

"I know that, Alastor, you don't need to shout. I'm blind not deaf. Now could be a dear and take my arm. I'm afraid that I'll apparate to the wrong place. Can't see a thing, you know," Ruth said with a chuckle as though she found this situation funny.

Moody and the two other aurors looked a little unsettled by her calmness. But they quickly recovered and handcuffed her.

* * *

Bellatrix smiled wickedly as Ted Tonks screamed in agony. This felt wonderful. It was so delicious. She was torturing her blood traitor sister and the mudblood. Now if only she could find the half-blood filth, her sister had giving birth to.

Bellatrix left her husband and brother in law to torture the Tonks as she went upstairs to look for her little niece.

"Where are you, my sweet little Nymph?" Bellatrix cooed sweetly. "Come play with your Auntie Bellatrix."

"Not happening, you delusional bitch!" Sirius shouted from behind Bellatrix. "Expelliarmus!" Bellatrix was knocked off her feet, her wand was sent flying into Sirius' hands. Sirius pocketed her wand and searched the rooms for his cousin. "Nymphie? It's okay, it's only me. You can come out now."

Nymphadora Tonks crawled out from under her bed and ran into Sirius' open arms.

"I was so scared," she sobbed. "Are Mum and Dad are okay?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't know," Sirius admitted. "They have been crucioed for a while. But don't worry, I'll take care of you until they're better," Sirius assured her. Nymphadora buried her face in Sirius' chest and kept sobbing. Sirius hugged her tightly.


	2. Chapter 2

Neville grew up knowing two things. One, his parents were heroes. And two, he was a hero. Or least that was what his grandmother always said. Every time, Neville would fall and hurt himself, Augusta would pick him up and tell him that heroes don't cry.

Neville wondered why his grandmother bothered. He was obviously a miserable failure and he was certainly not a hero. They were sure he was a squib until he turned eight and his Great Uncle Algie accidentally threw him out the window. But his grandmother insisted that he was a hero and made sure to make him study books that were for fourth years at Hogwarts.

Neville loved his grandmother more than he loved anyone in the world but he wished that she would stop trying to make him into something he clearly wasn't. He also wished that she would stop criticizing everything he did.

A good example would be the time he wanted a toad instead of an owl. Augusta thought that an eagle owl would be more appropriate for a hero. Neville had to beg and promise to do more studying in order to make her buy the toad who he called Trevor.

Neville was almost relived when he realized that he'd soon be off to Hogwarts. Almost. Neville feared that he would never be as good as his classmates. Augusta assured him that he would be better than the rest of his classmates. After all, he was the boy who lived. Neville wasn't too sure about that.

* * *

Finally, Augusta and Neville went to the train station. When they got to platform nine and three quarters, people were pointing and staring at Neville. One girl even shouted: "Is that the boy who lived? He doesn't look like much."

"Never mind her," Augusta snapped, throwing the girl a furious look over her shoulder. "She obviously doesn't know how to respect a hero like you. Now Neville, I want you to listen to your teachers and make sure you get good marks. Both your father and mother were top students in thier day."

"Right, Gran," Neville said softly, barely listening to her. He was instead checking his pocket for Trevor. Neville smiled when he felt Trevor was still inside.

"Good. Now go find yourself a compartment and don't talk to any troublemakers," Augusta ordered him.

"I will, Gran. I'll miss you," Neville told her with a smile. He saw Augusta's lips turn upwards before she planted a kiss on the top of his head.

"I'll miss you too, Neville," she promised. "Now run along now before my eyes get misty." Neville decided not to tell her that her eyes already had tears in them.

Neville struggled to get his trunk onto the train.

"Need help, mate?" a black haired boy asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Neville answered relived.

"Oi, Ron!" the boy shouted. "Come help us." Minutes later a red haired boy came out of a compartment. Then the three boys lifted the trunk onto the train.

"Thanks. I'll go find a compartment," Neville told them.

"What are you talking about? Come sit with us," the black haired boy remarked, already dragging Neville's trunk towards his compartment. Ron and Neville followed him. "I'm Harry Potter by the way. This is my friend, Ron Weasley."

"I'm Neville Longbottom," Neville introduced himself.

"We kinda guessed," Harry said with a chuckle. "The scar on your forehead gives it away."

"So Neville, what house do you want to be in?" Ron asked curiously. "Me and Harry want to be in Gryffindor. Our parents think it's the best house."

"That's because it is," Harry told him firmly before Neville could answer.

"Well my grandmum wants me to be just like my parents and get in Gryffindor," Neville replied.

"Well I personally don't think it should matter what house you get into," Harry remarked. "Gryffindor's brilliant but the other three houses are great." Ron sniggered.

"Don't let your dad hear you say that," Ron commented. "Or you'll be disowned for sure." Harry gave him a dark look. Ron quickly turned back to Neville. "Do you like exploding snap?"

Neville nodded even though, he was more interested why Harry was now scowling out the window. But Neville knew that it was none of his business. Harry stopped looking sullen when Ron changed the subject to Quidditch.

As the train ride went on, Neville learned that Ron had five older brothers and one younger sister. Harry mentioned that he had three younger sisters. Neville could tell by the way that Harry would omit his father in his stories about his family, that there was some sort of tension between Mr. Potter and Harry.

They had a small incident when Trevor got loose and they had to spend fifteen minutes searching for him. Trevor was found by a girl named Hermione Granger.

* * *

Finally, they arrived at Hogwarts. They were told to wait in the corridor in alphabetical order by Neville's grandmother's old friend, McGonagall.

"Good luck," Harry whispered before going behind Neville. Ron went all the way in the back.

Neville swallowed. He had been waiting his whole life for this moment. The moment the hat would be put on his head and decide his future. Neville knew his grandmother would probably die of a heart attack if he wasn't put into Gryffindor. But Neville wasn't sure if he was Gryffindor material. He wasn't particularly brave or noble.

"Longbottom, Neville," McGonagall called. The hall was eerily silent as Neville sat on the stool and McGonagall put the hat on his head.

"_My, my. It feels like just yesterday, I sorted your parents. Your father was worrying over the same things you were. Your grandmother put about as much pressure on him as she does you," _the hat remarked. _"Now your mother on the other hand. She knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to be in Gryffindor and she wouldn't take no for an answer. Even when I told her, she'd be better suited for Hufflepuff." _

"_You thought my mother should have been a Hufflepuff," _Neville repeated. From what he heard, his mother was braver then Neville and his father put together.

"_Indeed, I did young man. Hufflepuff is a fine house. And your mother was very hardworking. Now, let's see where you belong. Just as hardworking as your mother and just as clever as both of your parents."_

"_I'm not clever," _Neville said sadly.

"_And you have your father's confidence," _the hat continued. _"Now, you might not have any faith in yourself but I do. And I say you'll make a fine, _GRYFFINDOR!"

Neville's widened. He couldn't believe it. He got up and walked towards the Gryffindor table, not realizing that he took the hat with him until ten seconds later. He quickly ran back and handed the hat to an amused McGonagall.

The Gryffindors were still cheering when he sat down.

"Hello, Neville," Hermione greeted him, cheerfully. Neville smiled back politely, still feeling a bit queasy.

He looked up at the Teacher's table. He saw Albus Dumbledore, a giant of a man, a man in a turban and a greasy haired-!

Neville slammed his hand over his scar. He had felt a shooting hot pain go across his forehead. Neville frowned, it had never hurt before in his life. What was wrong with him now?

"Harry's up," a red haired boy, probably Ron's brother, remarked. "I bet it will take him thirty seconds to be sorted into Gryffindor."

"Nah," the boy's twin said. "I'd say twenty seconds."

Harry sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on his head. Twenty seconds passed and the hat did say a word. Then ten more seconds went by and still the hat said nothing. Twenty more seconds went by and the hat finally screamed, shocking everyone with it's decision. "SLYTHERIN!"

Harry stood there for a few minutes, just as shocked as everyone else before McGonagall nudged him in the direction of the Slytherin table. Neville looked back at the teachers. Everyone looked shocked but no one was as horrified as the greasy haired teacher was.

Ron soon joined Neville at the Gryffindor table and everyone began to eat.

"This is going to get ugly," Ron whispered as he looked over at his best friend.

"What do you mean? Just because he's in Slytherin doesn't mean you can't still be friends," Neville remarked.

"Oh I intend to stay friends with him," Ron said firmly. "I meant with his dad."


	3. Chapter 3

"There he is, look."

"Where?"

"Next to the tall kid with the red hair and the boy with glasses."

Whispers followed Neville from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. Neville felt embarrassed and he often tried to hide in between Harry and Ron, not that that helped much. He wished he had an invisibly cloak.

Harry found all this very funny.

* * *

"You better get used to it, Nev," Harry told him at lunch. "You're famous."

"I don't want to be," Neville protested. "I don't like all this attention."

"I think it's kinda neat," Ron remarked. Both Harry and Neville gave him a look. "What? Being the youngest of five brothers doesn't give you a lot of attention especially when they have done so much."

"I think that both of you are looking at this wrong. At least the attention you get is positive. And you're not receiving glares from everyone," Harry said annoyed. "I'm sitting with my friends, okay?" The Gryffindors who had been scowling at him suddenly found their food interesting.

"Well I don't know if this is good or bad but your family owl is headed your way with a beak full of letters," Ron told Harry pointing out the window.

"Any of them red?" Harry asked somberly.

"Nope," Neville answered as the Augusta's owl dropped a letter on his plate. Neville tore the envelope open and read the contents.

_My heroic grandson,_

_Congratulations on being in Gryffindor. You're going to just like your parents, I can tell. Minerva tells me that you made two friends. I never did like the Potters but the Weasleys are all right. They're kindhearted but a little foolish. _

_I hope the Potter boy is nothing like his father although, his mother was quite the troublemaker too. She always got your mother into trouble. _

_Be sure to study and stay out of trouble. _

_Love your proud grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. _

Neville wondered what she would have written if he hadn't gotten into Gryffindor. He decided not to dwell on that and just be happy that she had said she was proud of him.

"Hey Potter, did your daddy disown you yet?" A blond haired boy jeered bringing Neville from his thoughts. Neville immediately recognized him as Draco Malfoy. Augusta had pointed him out when they were in Diagon Alley. He was on her list of boys, Neville was not supposed to talk to.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron snapped. Harry said nothing but Neville saw his fists tighten around the letter until it became crumpled.

"I'm surprised you're still friends with him, Weasley but then again, I suppose you need him for his money," Malfoy mocked. Ron's whole face turned red. But before he could retort, McGonagall had spotted trouble and had rushed over.

"Mr. Malfoy, is there a reason why you are not at the Slytherin table?" McGonagall asked sternly, knowing full well why he was there.

"I just wanted to see why Potter isn't sitting with us, Professor," Malfoy said innocently.

"Mr. Potter is having lunch with his friends," McGonagall told him firmly. "You should be doing the same." Malfoy said nothing else, he just walked back to the Slytherin table. McGonagall turned to three boys. "Mr. Potter, may I have a word with you after your last class this afternoon?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry said quietly.

* * *

The rest of the day was rather uneventful that is until they got to the Potions classroom.

Neville never met anyone like Professor Severus Snape. His name certainly fit who he was. A better name for him would be Horrificus. But the name Severus said enough about his personality.

Snape's little speech at the beginning of the class was enough to make Neville sure that this would his hardest and most disliked class.

And as evidence by what Snape did after his speech, Harry wouldn't be liking this class either.

"Potter, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape asked. Neville was surprised. This wasn't a first year question. Besides why would Snape be picking on a member of his own house?

Neville expected Harry to be confused like everyone besides Hermione was. But instead, Harry stared back at Snape and answered: "You would get a sleeping potion called the Draught of Living Death."

Snape looked shocked but he quickly composed himself. "Good to see that unlike your father you have actually opened a book," he said coldly.

Then Snape turned to Neville. "Longbottom, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" he inquired. Neville gulped and he wished that he had paid more attention to his grandmother. "Come on, Longbottom, surely the boy who lived can answer this question," Snape sneered. Neville felt his cheeks heat up and unlike Harry, he could not look Snape in the eyes.

"The stomach of a goat," Harry replied for Neville.

"Mr. Potter, I believe I was speaking to Mr. Longbottom," Snape snapped. "Two points from Gryf- Slytherin for showing off and speaking out of turn." Snape looked as though it physically hurt him to take points off his own house.

"I'm not my father, sir," Harry said angrily. "I don't show off." Snape, strangely, had nothing to say to that. He simply continued his lesson.

* * *

"Snape is a git," Ron remarked to Harry, once they were far away from the dungeons. "Don't let it bother you. He's a git to everyone."

"You didn't have to do that," Neville told Harry quietly. "Now I think Snape hates you."

"Snape was always going to hate me," Harry said coolly. "He and my dad never got along. Besides, we are friends. Friends stick up for each other. Now if you excuse me. McGonagall wanted to speak to me. I'll see you tomorrow."

Harry quickly headed to McGonagall's classroom as Ron and Neville went to their dormitory. As they were headed there, they spotted a black haired man and a red haired woman walking away from Dumbledore's office.

"The hat is insane, Lily. Putting my son in Slytherin," the man snapped. "No Potter has ever been in Slytherin. Dumbledore has officially lost it if he thinks-"

"You know who you sound like, James. You sound like Sirius' parents," Lily told him crossly. "Harry is already resentful of you. How do you think he's going to feel when he finds out you tried to change his house?'

"Lily, I guarantee that the Slytherins and Snape are making his life miserable. Is it so wrong that I want to protect him?" James asked incredulously.

"That's what you always say. You only want to protect him. Who were you protecting when you took his best friend away from him?" Lily questioned angrily. James gave her a furious glare. But before he could retort the Potters had spotted Ron and Neville.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Ron greeted them awkwardly, trying not to look like he had heard the entire conversation.

"Hello Ron. And you must be Neville," Lily said sweetly. "You look exactly like your mother, you know that, just with your father's hair."

"Thank you, Mrs. Potter," Neville said gratefully with a bashful smile.

"Well we should be going," Lily stated. "Tell Harry we said hi."


End file.
